The game got off to a pulsating start with City taking the lead inside three minutes as United were caught out in the air at the back as they failed to deal with Richard Dunne's long throw, Antione Sibierski headed on and after one touch to control, Robbie Fowler prodded in from close range. United were stung and bounced back quickly as Paul Scholes' effort was saved and Cristiano Ronaldo hit the rebound against the post, although Ruud van Nistelrooy did look offside as the Portuguese star shot. Ryan Giggs then had a poor effort straight at David James and a better one which went wide. United were beginning to dominate, yet ironically it was City who found the net again. A free kick wasn't fully cleared and after Claudio Reyna's shot was blocked, John Macken swivelled in the area and found the bottom corner. Within three minutes the visitors were back in it as Giggs was tackled in the area, the ball fell to Scholes who drilled in from the edge of the box. Indeed, they were unlucky not to be level before the break as Ronaldo struck wood for the second time with a curler which thudded against the bar, Giggs volleyed a shot wide and Ronaldo again fizzed a shot across goal which Scholes was inches away from converting.

The second half was more subdued to begin with, although United again enjoyed the better of the possession, however this wasn't the steamrollering Man United type of performance that we've come to begrudgingly admire over the years as it appeared to lack bite. Chances were few and far between as Macken had a shot deflected over, whilst Ronaldo's cross saw van Nistelrooy attempt an overhead effort but fail to connect. The game remained on a knife edge though until a fatal mistake sealed gave City the vital edge. Half time sub Paul Bosvelt played a hopeful ball forward which was miscontrolled by Mikael Silvestre, allowing another sub, Trevor Sinclair, to sneak in behind and clip the ball over Tim Howard and into the net. It effectively ended the game as a contest as United continued to struggle to create chances, although Diego Forlan did send a stinging volley wide. In stoppage time, Shaun Wright-Phillips put the icing on the cake as he was sent clear down the right and as he sauntered toward the penalty area, he crashed a shot goalwards from a tricky angle and sent the home fans into sheer delight as it thudded against the bar and in.

The three goal margin certainly flattered City and you wonder if this defeat will be the final nail in United's fight for the title.

As a spectacle, the first half was mundane to say the least with both defence's on top and chances at a premium. Liverpool did create a couple of decent opportunities as Harry Kewell had an early shot pushed wide by Antti Niemi and Igor Biscan's header was also saved at the near post. The best chance came in first half stoppage time as Steven Gerrard sent Michael Owen clear on goal, however Niemi was again equal to Owen's side-footed effort. Saints showed little up front as Kevin Phillips sent a half volley wide and Claus Lundekvam of all people had a far post header saved by Jerzy Dudek.

The second half was a different matter as Saints began strongly when James Beattie headed over. Six minutes after the restart, the deadlock was broken as a mistake in midfield by Igor Biscan sent Beattie away. He exchanged passes with Phillips and as he bore down on goal, clipped the ball over Dudek and into the net. It sparked Liverpool into action, however Niemi was in sparkling form as he saved from a Biscan header as well as efforts from Owen, Emile Heskey and Kewell before the latter earned a controversial penalty. The Australian took on Jason Dodd who appeared to pull his shirt slightly, albeit outside the area, however as Kewell went down inside, the referee awarded a penalty. Justice was seen to be done though as Owen's kick was kept out Niemi. It capped a dreadful afternoon for Owen who earlier hit the post from three yards after Gerrard's shot was saved. With five minutes to go, Saints rubbed salt into the wounds as Phillips turned his man 30 yards from goal and his shot took a wicked deflection off of John Arne Riise to spin over the keeper and in. In stoppage time, Kewell's shot was fumbled by Niemi who just got back to hold in on the line and it seemed to sum up Liverpool's afternoon!

Bolton dominated the first half which, at times, resembled shooting practice for the home side with Jay-Jay Okocha in particular giving rookie Chelsea keeper Marco Ambrosio plenty to do. The Nigerian forced three saves, one which was pushed away at the near post, whilst another seemed to strike the Italian on the chest before rebounding to safety. Okocha also volleyed wide as did Kevin Nolan early on. Add to that Kevin Davies being just off target with a long range looping effort and Henrik Pedersen, who went closer than anyway with a shot which hit the inside of the post and bounced across goal. Chelsea had chances but they were rare and not clear cut as Hernan Crespo headed at Jussi Jaaskelainen whilst John Terry headed wide at the near post.

The hosts began the second half as they ended the first, however it was Chelsea who hed the better early chances as Jaaskelainen denied Frank Lampard, whose swerving shot was pushed away to safety and Geremi smashed a volley just wide. Minutes later, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink dragged a shot across goal and past the far post at the visitors improved ten-fold although Bolton also had opportunities as Okocha again, Pedersen and Ivan Campo were all off target from varying distances. With twenty minutes to go, the breakthrough arrived for the visitors through an unlikely source as Damien Duff crossed from the right and as Hasselbaink headed on, Terry was at the far post to volley home a crisp shot. Within three minutes, the lead was doubled as sub Joe Cole played in Hasselbaink on the right and his cutback was swept in by Duff via the hands of the Bolton keeper. Cole almost added a third with a superb solo run resulting in a shot which beat the keeper but not Simon Chalton who blocked his goal bound effort on the line. Okocha forced a late save from Ambrosio from a tight angle, however it simply wasn't to be for he or his club.

Overall, Bolton will be disappointed to end empty handed, especially after their first half display, however Chelsea have put the pressure back on Arsenal and Man United this weekend.

Villa dominated the first half and almost took an early lead when Darren Purse headed a Nol Solano free kick against his own post before Darius Vassell volleyed the rebound across goal and wide. His time arrived though when Gareth Barry found space at the far post and picked out Vassell with a cross which was tapped in from close range. He could have had a hat trick inside ten minutes as he found a weak finish whilst clean through and then his unmarked header was pushed wide by Maik Taylor in the away goal. Juan Pablo Angel also had a shot saved whilst the visitors showed little up front with Christophe Dugarry heading over and Mikael Forsell almost finding a way through only to be denied by the legs of Thomas Sorensen.

The second half began with Dugarry forcing a save from Sorensen inside a minute only to then see his side go two down courtesy of a brilliant strike. Vassell found space on the left and when his cross was only cleared to the edge of the area, Thomas Hitzlsperger struck a first time shot which tore into the corner of the net from 25 yards. As the game swung from end to end, Robbie Savage forced another save from Sorensen whilst Angel did similar to Taylor before Birmingham pulled a goal back on the hour. Savage played the ball into sub Clinton Morrison on the edge of the area, he held it up for Forsell to strike into the corner with the keeper rooted. Vassell then missed another great chance as he looped the ball over Taylor and the bar as he beat the offside trap and they were almost made to pay when Forsell found space at the other end to shoot firmly at the keeper and Morrison did similar only for his attempted lob to be smothered by Sorensen as the visitors pressed for what seemed an unlikely equaliser. They were caught on the break though when debutant Luke Moore, on as a late sub, broke clear and set up Angel whose shot was woefully off target with only the keeper to beat. With four minutes of stoppage time almost up, Birmingham launched one final ball into the area as Purse hoisted a long kick forward. It was helped on by Forsell and collected by Morrison and although his shot was brilliantly saved, it fell to John who found the roof of the net from close range.

Blackburn began strongly and after Jonathon Douglas forced a fine save from Carlo Cudicini at the far post, they took the lead. A depp cross from Michael Gray was nodded across goal by Marcus Babbel and volleyed in from close range by Gary Flitcroft. It took Chelsea a while to get a foothold in the game, although Claude Makelele should have done better when he skied an effort whilst unmarked 12 yards out, however after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink grazed the bar from long range, the Dutchman then found space on the right and cut the ball back for Frank Lampard to sweep in via the far post. Hasselbaink then sent a header over whilst unmarked in front of goal, although just two minutes earlier, Andy Cole fired just over the angle as he turned well in the area. The home side looked uncertain at the back all afternoon and when Tugay's misplaced pass in his own final third fell to Emmanuel Petit, his first time ball sent Lampard through on goal and his clinical finish gave Chelsea the lead for the first time. Within two minutes, Rovers almost levelled matters after Cole's fizzed cross was fumbled by the keeper, however Dwight Yorke couldn't find the touch to prod the loose ball home.

The second half began scrappily, although Adrian Mutu had two chances as he sent an acrobatic volley wide and then his chip sailed over keeper Brad Friedel but also sailed wide. A double change from Rovers saw Alan Mahon and Paul Gallager introduced and the pair combined well for the latter to tap in a cross from the former, however the goal was rightly ruled out for offside. Mutu then tried again only to force a flying save from Friedel after his fiercely struck free kick was heading for the net and with ten minutes to go, the American keeper repeated his feat with a fantastic stop to deny Lampard a hat trick from a close range header. It proved to be a couple of vital saves as Rovers then equalised with four minutes left when Gallager did get his name on the scoresheet, converting a deep far post cross from Mahon. To their credit, Chelsea came straight back and after John Terry was allowed to collect a deep corner at the far edge of the area, the ball fell to Glen Johnson who beat his marker and lashed the ball into the top corner from 15 yards. They almost added a fourth in stoppage time only for sub Eidur Gudjohnsen to shoot wide when well placed, however it mattered little as they held out for a crucial win.

Southampton created the better of the early chances as Rory Delap was denied by keeper Tim Howard having been sent clear on goal whilst Jason Dodd almost provided a superb chip after Paul Scholes lost possession on the edge of his own area, the ball drifting just wide. Scholes almost made amends with a long range shot which was well saved by Antti Niemi, however it wasn't long before new �11m man Louis Saha made it a dream debut with a goal albeit courtesy of a massive deflection. The former Fulham man struck a free kick from the edge of the area which was headed into his own net by Kevin Phillips on the end of the wall, although Saha will claim that his effort was heading toward the far corner. Southampton battled back and refused to let their heads drop as Brett Omerod was twice off-target with headers within minutes of going behind. Fabrice Fernandes couldn't emulate Saha with a free kick as his shot sailed straight into the hands of Howard as the home fans kept themselves amused with anti-John Magnier chants! United again capitialised on the missed chances as they doubled the lead with Saha again involved as his long range effort wasnt held by Niemi, allowing Scholes to drill home the rebound. Within a minute, the lead was halved and again it was due to a stroke of luck as Phillips made up for his earlier error with a 25 yard shot which deflected off of team mate Ormerod to leave Howard flat-footed as the ball sailed past him and in.

The second half began with chances at a premium, however eight minutes after the restart, Southampton stunned their hosts with an equaliser and this time there was no doubt over the scorer. Fabrice Fernandes found a square pass to Phillips whose 25-yard daisy-cutter flew into the bottom corner giving Howard no chance. Within two minutes, Quinton Fortune and Wes Brown got in a mess at the back and as Ormerod broke through, his shot was saved by the keeper as occured in the first half. Things continued to go against United as Fernandes handled in the area only for a free kick to be awarded on the edge, however as Saints failed to deal with Cristiano Ronaldo's cross, Ruud Van Nistelrooy was on hand to sweep the ball in from close range, again via a deflection from Dodd, although replays suggested that the Dutchman was offside when the kick was first taken. Saints again came battling back as Fernandes had an effort deflected wide via the hand of Scholes, although it was thumped at him from very close range and this was followed closely by the arrival off the bench of James Beattie and Marion Pahars, with Fernandes and Ormerod making way. At the other end, Saha sent Scholes clear only to shoot across goal and just wide, an incident which saw the last involvement of Saha as he was replaced by Darren Fletcher. Still the chances fell to the visitors as Anders Svensson's effort was pushed wide by the keeper who also denied a Phillips whose firm shot was well held. Danny Higginbotham almost netted against his former club only for his overhead kick to hit the bar twice and within a minute, Beattie's cross went across the six-yard box only for Phillips to fail to connect under pressure. United broke and from their first corner of the game, Brown somehow headed wide at the far post with the goal gaping. As stoppage time began, Howard almost committed a cardinal sin as he dropped a high ball goalwards under no pressure and was grateful for his defenders on hand to clear. Nicky Butt then came off the bench to replace the injured Ronaldo as Scholes fired just wide from long range as the action continued right until the final whistle.

Overall one of the most enjoyable games of the season, leaving Southampton perhaps a little unlucky not to get something from the game.

Watford began very strongly and took a controversial lead within five minutes as a cross from the right found the head of Heidar Helguson and although his looping header beat Neil Sullivan, it struck the bar and bounced onto the line before being hacked to safety, however the linesman ruled that the ball had gone in, even though replays proved that it hadn't. Within minutes Chelsea blew a great chance to level matters as Marcel Desailly shot over from close range, whilst Glen Johnson forced keeper Lenny Pidgeley into a save with a curling effort. Watford continued to pressurise the soft centred Chelsea defence as Paolo Vernazza had an effort cleared off the line after Sullivan parried a cross, however it was only a matter of time before Chelsea cracked the home offside trap and it duly arrived as Jesper Gronkjaer was sent clear and although he stayed on his feet after a tackle on the edge of the area, he went down having clipped the ball past Pidgeley - ironically on loan from Chelsea - allowing Eidur Gudjohnsen to slot home the penalty. Parity lasted just over a minute as Watford regained the lead. Yet again a cross caused problems as Sullivan drifted from his line. The ball was nodded across goal by Hyde and Gavin Mahon just beat team-mate Helguson to the ball to nod easily into the empty net. Again Chelsea battled back and again they levelled matters as Johnson set up Frank Lampard to fire home from the edge of the area, courtesy of a slight deflection.

The second half was equally frenetic but with fewer chances as the defences tightened up. Geremi blasted high and wide for Chelsea whilst Hyde's looping header was easily dealt with at the other end, although Watford did seem to have a decent claim for a penalty turned down when Mahon was caught in the area by William Gallas. Chelsea finished strongly as Jesper Gronkjaer drilled a shot wide and Adrian Mutu had a free kick turned around the post.

Overall Watford will be delighted with a draw and the subsequent replay, whilst Chelsea will have to deal with yet another date in their congested diary.

United began the half by dominating possession, although only a shot from Ruud Van Nistelrooy troubled keeper Kasey Keller in the early stages. With many eyes on Rio Ferdinand at the back for the visitors, it was his central defensive partner who gave United a deserved lead, John O'Shea prodding a leg out to volley Ryan Giggs' corner into the back of the net. Spurs reacted well and Tim Howard was forced into saving well from a Robbie Keane header and then even better from a fierce drive from sub Gus Poyet, however typically United soaked up the pressure and then doubled the lead. Paul Scholes and Giggs exchanged pass before the Welshman sent Van Nistelrooy through the middle, his shot taking a wicked deflection off Anthony Gardner before finding the corner of the net. Giggs was looking sharp and on more than one occasion looked to emulate his solo goal at White Hart Lane from 1992, however when he did get a shot it, Keller did well to parry.

Initially more United goals looked likely early in the second half as Giggs sent Van Nistelrooy clear only for the Dutchman to fire across goal and wide, however eventually the hosts made an imprint on the scoresheet to half the lead. Paul Konchesky provided a cross from the left which was helped back across goal by Stephane Dalmat for Poyet to prod goalwards and in via the body of Howard and the inside of the post. However, the surge for an equaliser never really materialised, although Robbie Keane did shoot wide as did Freddie Kanoute late on, whilst sub Rohan Ricketts brought a comfortable save from Howard.

The first half was a scrappy affair with few chances, although Southampton did have the majority of possesion, it was therefore no surprise to see the deadlock broken courtesy of a freak effort. The home side won a corner on the left and as Jason Dodd swung it in towards the far post, it drifted toward the top corner and in via a double ricochet off the woodwork and the head of Sebastian Schemmel, who was supposedly guarding the post. It did at least open the game up a little, although chances were still rare as Linvoy Primas had a fierce shot blocked as he searched for an equaliser, whilst at the other end, David Prutton drilled a long range effort just over in stoppage time.

It was more of the same for long spells after the break with the keeper largely untroubled, however the game seemed to move up a gear after the hour mark as Teddy Sheringham had a free kick deflected wide for the visitors whilst David Prutton's effort for Southampton also took a deflection and fizzed across goal. Minutes later, the lead was doubled as Chris Marsden found Marion Pahars 30 yards from goal, he beat two men as he cut inside and then curled a beauty into the far corner, his first goal since his comeback from an ankle injury. It effectively ended the game as far as the destination of the points were concerned, however there was time, albeit late in stoppage time, for salt to be rubbed into the Portsmouth wounds as James Beattie added a third with a superb diving header from Dodd's cross.